Left in Appropriations
Left in Privileges and Elections
Left in Appropriations
Requires, beginning January 1, 2018, the inclusion of a regulatory penalty statement in any legislation that imposes a requirement on a business or entity engaged in a regulated activity where, under the basic law of the agency responsible for regulating the activity, the agency has the authority by regulation to establish a graduated scale of monetary or civil penalties in accordance with mandatory maximum or minimum penalties set forth in its basic law for enumerated violations. The regulatory penalty statement shall be printed on the face of each bill, but shall not be codified, and shall indicate that the legislation authorizes the (Name of Agency) to establish a graduated scale of monetary or civil penalties for violations. The bill provides that (i) prior to submission to the Registrar of Regulations, an agency affected by legislation shall, by September 1, provide a written report to the standing committee to which matters relating to the content of the planned regulation are most properly referable describing the subject matter and intent of the planned regulation; (ii) the standing committee shall meet on the planned regulation and shall file with the agency and the Governor any objection to the planned regulation by November 1; (iii) if an objection is filed, the promulgation of the planned regulation shall be suspended, with the concurrence of the Governor, until the end of the next regular legislative session; and (iv) if no objection is filed or the Governor does not concur, the agency may promulgate the regulation in accordance with the Administrative Process Act. The bill also requires general notice of the provisions of this requirement to be posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall and published in the Virginia Register of Regulations by the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules to advise agencies of their obligations under the bill.
Left in Appropriations
Prohibits any person from acting as a qualified education loan servicer without first obtaining a license from the State Corporation Commission and establishes procedures pertaining to such licenses. Banks and credit unions are exempt from the licensing provisions. The servicing of a qualified education loan encompasses (i) receiving any scheduled periodic payments from a qualified education loan borrower pursuant to the terms of a qualified education loan; (ii) applying the payments of principal and interest and such other payments with respect to the amounts received from a qualified education loan borrower, as may be required pursuant to the terms of a qualified education loan; and (iii) performing other administrative services with respect to a qualified education loan. Qualified education loan servicers are prohibited from, among other things, (a) misrepresenting the amount, nature, or terms of any fee or payment due or claimed to be due on a qualified education loan, the terms and conditions of the loan agreement, or the borrower's obligations under the loan; (b) knowingly misapplying or recklessly applying qualified education loan payments to the outstanding balance of a qualified education loan; and (c) failing to report both the favorable and unfavorable payment history of the borrower to a nationally recognized consumer credit bureau at least annually if the loan servicer regularly reports information to such a credit bureau. Violations are subject to a civil penalty not exceeding $2,500. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2018.
Left in General Laws
Prohibits discrimination in employment and public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation. The bill defines "sexual orientation" as a person's actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality, or gender identity or expression. The bill expressly provides that "sexual orientation" does not include any person's attraction toward persons with whom sexual conduct would be illegal due to the age of the parties. The bill also codifies existing prohibited discrimination in public employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, or status as a veteran. The bill also adds discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity as an unlawful discriminatory housing practice. The bill contains technical amendments.
Left in General Laws
Requires state funding to be provided pursuant to the general appropriation act to support 20 full-time equivalent instructional positions for each 1,000 students identified as having limited English proficiency. Current law requires state funding to support 17 such positions for each 1,000 such students.
Left in Privileges and Elections
Left in Privileges and Elections
